January 03, 2012

The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of thirteen newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In our second patent report of the day we focus in on two specific patents and a series of design wins. The First patent covers Apple's MagSafe while the second covers Final Cut Pro's Motion module relating to 3D camera direction.

Apple Wins Three Design Patents

First up we cover Apple's three design patent wins granted by the US Patent and Trademark Office today. The first one is an industrial design win covering their Thunderbolt Display which only debuted in July 2011. Their second industrial design win is for the iMac. Apple's third design win is for their iOS calculator icon.

Apple has received a Granted Patent covering the MagSafe Connector and MagSafe Power Adapter as shown the patent figures below.

Apple's 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter features a magnetic DC connector that ensures that the power cable will disconnect if it experiences undue strain and helps prevent fraying or weakening of the cables over time. In addition, the magnetic DC helps guide the plug into the system for a quick and secure connection.

Apple's First Patent Claim:A first connector comprising: a first plurality of electrical contacts, the first plurality of electrical contacts to mate with a second plurality of electrical contacts when the first connector couples to a second connector, wherein the first plurality of electrical contacts consisting of a central contact to convey a signal, two contacts to convey a power supply, one contact on each side of the central contact, and two contacts to provide a return path, one contact on each side of the central contact, wherein when the first connector couples to the second connector, the first and second plurality of electrical contacts define a corresponding plurality of electrical paths; and a magnetic element, the magnetic element to mate with a plurality of magnets in the second connector that are proximally located and arranged in opposing polarities with respect to each other so that when the first connector is brought in close proximity to the second connector, magnetic field lines travel through the magnetic element of the first connector from one of the plurality of magnets in the second connector to another one of the plurality of magnets in the second connector.

To review Apple's other nineteen patent claims and invention detailing, see granted patent 8,087,939. Apple credits Matthew Rohrbach, Mark Doutt, Bartley Andre, Kayne Lim, John DiFonzo and Jean-Marc Gery as the inventors of this patent which was last filed in Q1 2011.

Apple Wins a Patent for Final Cut Pro's Motion

Apple has been granted a patent for Final Cut Pro's imaging module called "Motion." Apple's invention covers compositing images in a simulated space. Specifically, the invention relates to a method of simplifying the task of setting up the motions of a simulated camera in a simulated 3D space.

Apple's First Patent Claim: A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program for directing a simulated camera in a three-dimensional simulated space, said computer program comprising sets of instructions for: receiving a command to associate said simulated camera with an object in said simulated space for a set duration; determining, based on said command, a path along which the simulated camera moves over said duration, said moving comprising: moving said simulated camera from a first position and an orientation that does not aim at the object to a second position near said object while aiming said simulated camera at said object; and moving said simulated camera with said object; and creating a video from said simulated camera's perspective of said three-dimensional simulated space.

To review Apple's other thirty patent claims and invention detailing, see granted patent8,089,479. Apple creditsSidhartha Deb, Gregory Niles, Stephen Sheeler and Guido Hucking as the inventors of this patent which was originally filed in Q2 2008. Apple has also been granted a patent for Expose - as it relates specifically to Final Cut Pro's Motion module.

Notice: Patently Apple presents only a brief summary of granted patents with associated graphics for journalistic news purposes as each Granted Patent is revealed by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any Granted Patent should be read in its entirety for full details. About Comments: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit comments.

Comments

Is Motion still around as a standalone app? I don't think so. The only place you could find it today is with Final Cut Pro X, right? So I guess that it's fitting for this report to have stated that it's part of the Final Cut Pro application as a module.